


Burning Pile

by ruralfishingcat



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Childhood Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-09-16 12:57:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16954470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruralfishingcat/pseuds/ruralfishingcat
Summary: It'd been six years, and Adora was a little nervous. Okay, maybe she was a lot nervous, because seeing Catra face to face had been a coveted but unrealistic dream for so long.College AU where Catra transfers to Adora's college after six years of only online communication, and neither is ready for how much the other has changed.





	1. Chapter 1

**adoradorable**

_catraaaa_

 

**catraclysm**

_adoraaaa_

 

**adoradorable**

_i miss you :(_

 

**catraclysm**

_rip_

 

**adoradorable**

_catra!!!_

 

**catraclysm**

_ok fineee i miss you too_

_but it's saturday and you know what that means_

 

**adoradorable**

_caturday?_

 

**catraclysm**

_..._

_that too lol_

_more importantly i'll be at charbrone college tomorrow_

 

**adoradorable**

_i'll finally get to see you!!!!_

 

**catraclysm**

_yeah but no one else knows i'll be there so don't tell anyone_

 

**adoradorable**

_??? i thought you were transferring though..._

 

**catraclysm**

_i am. you know how shadow weaver is tho_

_she doesn't know_

 

**adoradorable**

_uhh catra how are you going to explain being gone to her then???_

 

**catraclysm**

_i'm not. i'm just leaving_

 

**adoradorable**

_catra!! are you sure?_

 

**catraclysm**

_i've never been more sure of anything_

_i'm sick of her trying to control my life. this scholarship is my only chance to get away from her and out of this hellhole_

 

**adoradorable**

_how are you getting here then?_

 

**catraclysm**

_i'm taking the bus. i have to be up at 4 tomorrow morning to catch the earliest one while shadow weaver's still asleep. i'll be at the college by 3_

 

**adoradorable**

_come straight to my apartment. i'll feed you_

 

**catraclysm**

_lol_

 

**adoradorable**

_i'm serious. 1039 symra dr. it's fifteen minutes from campus_

 

**catraclysm**

_kk_

 

**adoradorable**

_i'm here for you, always_

 

**catraclysm**

_promise?_

 

**adoradorable**

_promise_

 

**catraclysm**

_:3c_

 

**adoradorable**

_..._

_:3_

 

**catraclysm**

_!!!!_

 

**adoradorable**

_lol go to sleep already!! you gotta get up early_

 

**catraclysm**

_ADORA_

 

**adoradorable**

_WHAT_

 

**catraclysm**

_never forget i'll always adorYA_

 

**adoradorable**

_pfft omg catra stop!!_

 

**catraclysm**

_;3c_

 

***

 

It'd been six years, and Adora was a little nervous. Okay, maybe she was a _lot_ nervous, because seeing Catra face to face had been a coveted but unrealistic dream for so long. Catra's mom—who Catra still, apparently, called Shadow Weaver after the video game villain from Horde Quest 2—had kept her isolated for years now, even from Adora. After moving schools in eighth grade, Catra was never allowed to visit friends, except for Adora. By ninth grade, even that freedom had shriveled up, leaving virtual communication as their only option. From time to time, Catra risked everything and allowed communication through mail, which meant Adora had managed to smuggle a few items to her over the years. When it came down to it, though, Shadow Weaver had been more than prepared to make certain Catra was alone. 

So things had been a bit of a mess, to put it lightly. Adora and Catra had been spinning tales of magical rescue, of Adora saving Catra from her environment, but in the end, it was Catra who was making her own escape. Adora had her heart set on Charbrone college for the longest time, and was ecstatic when she got in. And when her acceptance letter had arrived, Catra assured her that in the future, they'd be together in college, that Catra would manage a scholarship or some other miracle and join her, live out the fairy tale they'd written so many times before. And Adora was so, so proud of her.

Adora even tidied up the apartment, which usually didn't happen unless Glimmer forced her into it while Bow egged Glimmer on. Smiling faintly, Adora shut the door to her room with a click; there was a present in there for Catra, and Adora didn't want it being seen just yet. 

"Adora!" Glimmer nudged the front door open with her hip, peeking in. "Is Catra here yet?"

"Not yet," Adora said. "But in all the time I've known her, she's never been on time."

"Good," Glimmer said and slipped into the apartment. "The line at the store took forever and I had to wrestle with a frat bro to get the last cherry pie."

"I didn't realize frats were so dedicated to pie," Adora mused. Bow tumbled into the apartment a second later. "Don't tell me you got caught up in the fight, too?"

Bow's eyes were shining with a fearful pride. "Are you kidding! Glimmer kicked his ass! I barely had time to realize what was happening before he was on the ground with her foot on his chest."

Glimmer blushed, setting down the groceries on the kitchen counter. "Adora said the pie was the most important part! We couldn't leave the store without it!"

"Thanks, you guys," Adora said, warmth seeping into her tone. "It's Catra's absolute favorite dessert, so I wanted to make sure we had it."

Wrinkling her nose, Glimmer said, "How long has it been, six years? What if she has a different favorite flavor by now."

"Don't even say that, Glimmer," Bow said. "After all we went through."

"We haven't seen each other face to face in six years," Adora clarified. "But we send emails and messages. A few times we've even sent packages and letters in the mail. It's not like I don't know her anymore."

"That's true," Bow said. "You guys are still best friends, right?"

"All three of you guys are my best friends," Adora said, blushing a little. "But she's my oldest best friend, yeah."

"I'm so excited to meet her," Bow said. "We'll be like the three musketeers."

Glimmer raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Are you even listening to yourself, Bow? It's in the name: _three_ musketeers."

"Someone hasn't read the book," Bow said, half singing the words. "There are actually _four_. The fourth one is narrating."

"Ugh, whatever," Glimmer said. "You English majors and your technicalities. This is like Frankenstein's monster all over again."

"It's an important distinction!" Bow's advancing monologue—Adora had known him long enough to know when one was simmering beneath his words—was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Adora almost skipped to the door. "She's here!" With a deep breath, she opened the final barrier between her and her oldest friend. "Catra!"

"Adora!" Catra shouted and brought her into a tight hug.

Adora felt the tears prickling, and she knew if they dropped that Catra would tease her. After so long, she no longer cared, though. Pulling back, she gestured behind her. "Glimmer, Bow, this is Catra. Catra, this is my roommate and friend, Glimmer, and my friend, Bow. He just hangs out here a lot." 

Catra's ears perked up and her nose twitched. "Oh, other people?"

Adora rubbed her arm. "Uh, yeah? I told you in our messages that I lived with Glimmer."

"Musta forgot," Catra said, waving her off. She eyed Glimmer and Bow. "Nice hair, Princess."

Glimmer's nostrils flared. "Nice tail, Catra."

Catra narrowed her eyes.

"Whoa, okay," Adora said amidst an uneasy chuckle; this was not even close to how she had been predicting the meeting to go. And maybe her hopes had been a little optimistic—with the three of her best friends instantaneously becoming best friends—but still. "Let's take it easy."

"Whatever," Catra said, crossing her arms. "So, Adora. You're finally taller than me. Must have drank your milk."

Adora snorted. "You're so weird, Catra. Hey, what's the backpack for?"

Catra glanced behind her. "Oh, this? It's my stuff, duh. Use that big brain of yours, Adora."

"Did you bring games or something?" Bow asked, excitement already falling onto his face.

"Uh, no?" Catra sent him a side eye that prompted him into stiffening. "Like, my belongings."

Adora could feel a familiar sense of dread filling her throat, one that stemmed from miscommunication. "Catra, where are you staying?"

Catra huffed. "Oh my God, Adora. Right _here_ , obviously. You gonna show me to my room or do I have to play a guessing game?"

"Excuse me?" Glimmer said.

"Wasn't talking to you, Princess," Catra said.

"Catra," Adora said carefully. "There's only two bedrooms in the apartment."

"Okay?" Catra looked entirely unbothered by the comment. 

"So there's no room," Adora finished.

Catra shrugged, pushing forward and bumping her hip against Adora's. Turning her gaze, Catra looked at Glimmer. "Hear that, Princess? Looks like that's your cue to scram."

"Catra!" Adora said, embarrassment flooding her tone while Glimmer shouted a defensive _'Hey!'_.

"What? Two rooms, easy fix," Catra said. "Unless we're sharing a room. Man, we haven't done that in years. I guess it'll be like a sleepover."

"There's not enough space in my room," Adora said quietly. 

"Space has never been an issue," Catra pushed back, frowning. 

"Yeah, but," Adora said. "I thought you were staying elsewhere?"

Catra's sharp eyes bore into hers, and Adora felt sweat collect on her temples. The gaze was so cold and distant, a stare reserved for bullies and Shadow Weaver, not one Adora ever thought she'd be at the other end of. It hurt. "So what was the point of me fucking transferring schools if we're not even going to spend time together."

Adora jolted backwards. "I...I thought you wanted to transfer to get out of Etheria. And we can still spend time together! Living apart doesn't mean we'll never see each other."

"No, I get it," Catra sneered. "You have your new best friends, don't need me anymore."

"Catra, no." Adora's expression wilted. 

"I should have known this stupid school was going to change you," Catra said. She hiked her backpack further up her shoulder, almost like a shield against Adora. "I don't know why I even bother."

"C'mon," Adora said, stepping closer. "Let's just figure this out."

Catra's eyes snapped to Adora's neck, and the color began to drain from Catra's face. "What the fuck is that?"

Adora's hand instinctively fell to her neck. "What?"

" _That_ ," Catra said, leaning in. "It's—"

She broke off, going silent. Pushing past Adora, who stumbled in the process of regaining footing, Catra stomped over to Glimmer. Glimmer tensed but made no sign of a retreat. In an instant, Catra was storming over to Bow, who held his hands up and tried to step backwards.

"Best friend necklaces," Catra said, her tone empty. Bow's eyes darted down to his own neck, where a third of the necklace rested. He gave Catra a sheepish look. Catra swallowed. "I see. That's how it is, then."

"They're just necklaces," Glimmer said with a huff. "What's the big deal? Why are you being so mean?"

"Mean?" Catra laughed. Hand flying to her wrist, she yanked off her bracelet and threw it to the ground. In the otherwise silent room, it echoed twice, one against the walls, and once in Adora's crumbling heart. "How's that for mean? Thanks for a fucking _awful_ visit, Adora."

And she was gone.

Silently, Adora took a few steps forward and picked up Catra's bracelet, the same one Adora gave her nearly a decade ago. Lower lip trembling, she shoved it in her pocket and tried to avoid the worried gaze of her friends.

"So, that was actually Catra?" Glimmer said. "Like, your best friend Catra who you've been raving about the past month and a half?"

"Glimmer..." Bow said.

"No," Glimmer said, her frown reaching its final, largest form. She glided over to Adora and put a hand on her shoulder. "What kind of friend acts like that? She was being so rude."

"It's a big change," Adora said quietly. "Anyone would be surprised."

"Not like _that_ ," Glimmer said. "What was that thing she threw? Did she break it?"

Adora shied away from Glimmer's wandering hand, her own covering her pocket. For some reason, she felt embarrassed at the thought of Glimmer and Bow finding out what it was. As though its existence justified Catra's reaction. And at the same time, she herself was justifying it, just with words instead of objects. "It's nothing. I, uh. I think I'm going to go lie down. I'm feeling a little tired."

"Adora, wait," Bow said. "Maybe you shouldn't be alone right now."

"No, really, it's fine guys," Adora said with a watery laugh. "Thanks for buying dessert; it means a lot. Night."

And, being the only thing gone right since Catra's arrival, Adora managed to suppress the incoming tears until her door clicked shut.

 

***

 

Adora woke up to a quiet apartment and a darkness that edged in through her flimsy blinds. Her mouth felt dry and her limbs achy. With a groan, she flopped on her other side and shoved her face into her pillow.

"Damn it, Catra," she muttered. Catra had always been—and still was, apparently—combative, but this afternoon had to have been the shortest amount of time it had taken for them to start arguing. Adora was  _sure_ Catra hadn't mentioned anything about moving in, so she couldn't comprehend why Catra was so convinced otherwise. Not that Adora didn't love the thought of living with Catra, but she already promised Glimmer that they'd live together Sophomore year. "Stupid."

Letting out a long sigh, she sat up and tried to wrestle her once perfect ponytail back into presentable conditions. She reached into her pocket and pulled out Catra's bracelet, a near copy of the one that was still clasped around her own wrist. Adora wound up depositing it into the top drawer of her desk, not able to handle a visible reminder of the fight. She checked her phone next, and as expected, there was no text from Catra; Adora had always been the one to reach out during fights.

 

** adoradorable**

_ catra? _

 

She waited a few minutes, just in case Catra was showering or something.

 

_ (read 6:15 PM) _

 

Adora sucked in a strangled breath.

 

** adoradorable **

_ look, i'm sorry okay? _

_ can we please talk about this? _

 

**catraclysm**

_ what's there to talk about _

 

The biting reply made her flinch, but the fact that Catra was even willing to respond was a sign that reconciliation wasn't impossible. Catra had never had problems abandoning people, and Adora knew a big portion of her willingness to was due to wanting the control, of not wanting to be left behind first. And so Adora also knew had Catra _really_ wanted to cut contact, Adora's number would have been blocked the minute Catra left the apartment. When it came down to it, Catra favored the nuclear option.

 

** adoradorable **

_ the meeting. i think there were some communication problems _

 

**catraclysm**

_ oh no, i understood everything just fine. you replaced me and were just oh so excited about meeting up to rub it in my face _

 

** adoradorable **

_ catra! stop :( you know i would never do that to you _

 

**catraclysm**

_ do i? _

 

** adoradorable **

_ you should _

 

**catraclysm**

_ well obviously i don't _

 

** adoradorable **

_ i'm not trying to replace you. no one ever could replace you. you're my best friend, catra _

 

**catraclysm**

_ yeah, along with princess and crop top apparently _

 

** adoradorable **

_ please don't be mean to my friends. they were nothing but nice to you _

 

**catraclysm**

_ seriously? you call that jab at my tail nice? _

 

** adoradorable **

_ c'mon catra, you instigated that _

 

**catraclysm**

_ whatever _

 

**adoradorable**  


_ can you come back? i'd rather talk about this in person _

 

**catraclysm**

_... _

 

** adoradorable **

_ :3 ???? _

 

**catraclysm**

_ ugh fine you loser _

_ :3 _

 

** adoradorable **

_ :) _

 

Adora let out a relieved sigh, holding her phone to her chest and smiling. Now she just had to let Glimmer know about the change of plans. Stepping out of her room, Adora immediately spotted Glimmer and Bow relaxing on the couch, watching television on low volume. Glimmer was sitting cross legged on one corner while Bow sprawled out, one leg over the top of the couch.

Bow's face brightened when he saw her. "Adora!"

"Hey, guys," Adora said, giving an awkward wave.

"Are you feeling any better?" Glimmer asked, pausing the television.

Adora nodded. "Yeah, I am, thanks. Um. I talked with Catra a little."

"Did she apologize?" Glimmer asked.

"We didn't really get to that," Adora said with a small frown. "She's coming over so we can smooth things over."

Glimmer sighed. "Okay, Adora."

Adora rubbed her shoulder. "I'm sorry about all that. It was really out of character, I promise. She's...had a long day. She had to get up at four just to catch her bus."

"You don't have to apologize," Bow said. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Giving him a soft smile, Adora moved toward the kitchen. "Thanks, Bow. I'm going to slice the pie in the meantime. Did either of you guys want a piece?"

"We haven't had dinner yet," Glimmer said.

"Yes!" Bow said. Glimmer rolled her eyes, smiling. 

Adora chuckled as she grabbed plates and utensils. "What do you mean pie isn't dinner?"

"Hey, Adora," Bow started. Adora hummed a noise of acknowledgement. "I was wondering. Catra _does_ have a place to stay, right? Because if she thought she was staying here, and stormed out, then there's kind of an issue there. And the library closes at nine today."

"She's not at the library," Adora said. That was one thing she was certain of. "I...I guess I just assumed she did. I can't imagine transferring schools without figuring out housing."

"She can stay here for the night," Glimmer said awkwardly, looking a little conflicted by her own words. "There's the couch and everything."

Adora felt her heart surge. "Glimmer, that's really nice of you."

Glimmer shrugged. "She's your friend. "I'm not going to kick her out on the streets. Even if she did insult my hair."

"Catra is...interesting," Adora said finally. "I don't think she necessarily meant it as an insult."

There was a strong knock on the door, but Adora sensed the hesitance behind it, only because of how long she'd known Catra.

"Is that her?" Bow asked, leaning forward to watch the door. 

"Yeah," Adora said. "I'll get it."

Catra's eyes flickered to hers when the door opened. Neither one said anything, and then Catra was sighing, reaching out and grabbing Adora's hand.

"I didn't think I'd fuck everything up _this_ early on," Catra muttered, and played with Adora's fingers. She was still wearing her backpack, and Adora thought back on Bow's words from earlier about the housing predicament. 

Adora squeezed her hand. "Like we haven't been through worse together. Come on in, you never got to eat."

Catra trailed along after her, their hands still connected. When they passed Glimmer and Bow, Catra watched them.

After a moment, Catra said, "Sorry."

The tone was dull, but Glimmer softened and Bow preened. And it brought a wave of relief over Adora, that Catra was even willing to apologize to people she had just met. 

"We've got cherry pie," Adora said, hiding a grin.

Catra leapt forward to the kitchen. "Cherry! You're the best, Adora!" 

"Actually, Glimmer was the one who got it," Adora said. 

Catra was already forking half her slice into her mouth. "Thanks, Princess."

Glimmer made a huffing noise. 

"God, I haven't had this in years," Catra said, finishing off her portion and grinning, showing off her sharp teeth. "Can I have another?"

"Of course," Adora said and slid a second piece onto the plate. Leaning against the counter, right next to the sink, Adora tried to go for a casual pose. "So uh, Glimmer and I talked, and do you want to stay here tonight? It can't be a permanent thing; the lease is only set up for two people. But I hate the thought of you not having a place to sleep."

Catra hummed around her food. "Sounds like a plan, girlie." 

Adora's eyes crinkled as she smiled. "It's good to have you back, Catra."


	2. Chapter 2

Staring up at her ceiling, Adora wondered what she was going to tell Catra in the morning, where Catra was going to stay. Unable to wipe the frown from her face, she shifted onto her side, looking over to where Catra curled up on the foot of her bed. Adora had said the couch was comfy and more spacious than her own, single bed, but Catra was insistent. And when Catra had her heart set on something, that was that.

Hesitantly, Adora reached out a hand and settled it into Catra's hair, dragging her fingers through. It was far longer than when they were kids, and Adora had always loved her hair. Now, it drew a knot of longing deep within Adora; it was like reclaiming something lost long ago. 

"Mmm?" Catra peeked one eye open. "Adora?"

"It's nothing," Adora said, pulling her hand back in a motion so quick it seemed blurry. "Go back to sleep, Catra."

Catra's yellowish eye—she'd been born with heterochromia, which, unfortunately, had only been an easy target for bullies—stared at Adora, scrutinizing, before eventually closing her eye and sighing. "Whatever, weirdo." 

With a thick swallow, Adora cradled the hand she'd touched Catra with, a pulsing sensation flowing through it; the mere touch had launched a fight or flight response. She wasn't sure what time it was—sometime late, past midnight for sure—but she didn't want the night to end. Since heading to bed, her room had held a heavy atmosphere, clinging to her form. There was something sinister about it, about the threshold it appeared to establish: the before, and the after. She and Catra were still lingering to the best of their abilities in the before, in the childish nostalgia and tendencies of the past, a place Adora found herself not actually wanting to leave. But time always moved forward, whether she wanted it to or not, and tomorrow would inevitably bring the after. The after, which was sculpted from distance—both physical and emotional—and fluctuating circumstances, some of which were integral in life like aging, and others that unintentionally brought strife, in particular, Shadow Weaver's control and Adora's place in college. 

"Adora."

Adora startled, shifting the sheets in the process of turning her head and body.

Catra watched her, unfazed. Both her eyes were open now as she uncurled her body and rose to her hands and knees. Adora gulped. "I can hear your big brain not shutting up."

"Sorry," Adora mumbled, glancing away to gaze at the dark corner of her room where her desk sat. After a moment, she felt a weight on her torso and flicked her eyes over to see Catra looming over her. Her chest stuttered, frantic.  "Catra!"

"Shh," Catra said, her tail thrashing around in annoyance. "You're going to wake Princess."

"Her name's _Glimmer_ ," Adora said hotly, acutely aware of the blush on her cheeks. Catra was taller, heavier, but had lost her baby fat around her cheeks and jaw. It hadn't properly hit Adora earlier in the day, that she was actually seeing Catra in person, but the realization was crawling forward now. And now, it was all she could focus on in the quiet of the night. The way Catra had grown into her nose, the way her long legs stretched out across the bed, the way she watched Adora with eyes that had seen too much. It only reinforced the speed of Adora's racing heart. "What is it? It's _late_."

"Yeah, it is," Catra said, tilting her head. "So why are you awake?"

Adora tried to relax her body. She looked away again. "I don't know. Can't sleep, I guess."

"You've always been a light sleeper," Catra said, lowering one side of her body to rest her elbow against the sheets, and then her cheek on her hand. Body betraying her, Adora turned to look at her. Her face was close enough that Adora could see the freckles across the bridge of her nose, even in the darkness. Adora held her breath. "Sometimes I can't sleep, either."

Guilt rising, Adora said, "I know."

Pushing herself up and off of Adora, Catra leaned back, sitting on the heels of her feet. The loss of Catra's weight made it easier for Adora to breathe, but the loss of the warmth drew a shiver out of her. Adora's heart still raced, and her lungs felt like they couldn't catch enough air despite Catra's distance. 

"It's always been easier to sleep when you're here," Catra said quietly, and Adora wasn't even sure she was supposed to have heard it, so she stayed silent. A flicker of hurt flashed through Catra's bright eyes before she curled up again, facing away from Adora.

"Catra..." Adora said.

"Go to sleep already," Catra said with a huff, her shoulders tensed. 

Wordlessly—and certain she was making a huge mistake—Adora reached out a hand again and set it on Catra's bony shoulder. Catra instantly relaxed. Fighting back a smile, Adora settled back into a comfortable position and closed her eyes, falling asleep within the second.

 

***

 

It was the after.

As soon as Adora opened her eyes, she let the resulting wave of sadness wash over her. She sat up, looking to the end of her bed. Catra was lounging still, one arm hanging over the side of the bed and aimlessly swaying back and forth.

"Catra," Adora said, her fingers bunching up in her blanket. 

Catra's ear twitched, and she dragged her head across to look at Adora. "Yes?"

"You're still in bed," Adora said after a lapse of silence. 

"Yeah," Catra said. "I'm not the one who leaves."

Adora closed her eyes for a second. She didn't have the energy to fight, not this early in the morning. So instead, she shoved her blankets off herself and into Catra's face. Sputtering, Catra clawed at them. "Race ya to the bathroom, lazy butt!"

"That's not fair!" Catra called back, finally getting the sheets off of herself. Adora, already at the door, heard Catra's feet thump as they landed on the floor. "I don't know where the bathroom is!"

"Not my problem!" Adora said as she slammed the door behind her, laughing when she heard Catra hiss. Almost immediately, the door swung back open, knocking into Adora's back. "Oof!" 

"Karma!" Catra cackled, before tensing. 

Adora sobered up quickly. "What is it?"

"What are you two doing?" Glimmer asked, standing by the kitchen, a bowl of cereal in her hands. Her spoon was halfway to her mouth, dripping milk. 

"Not really any of your business, is it?" Catra said.

Adora gave her a light shove and a sharp look. "Sorry, just messing around. We wake you?"

"Nah," Glimmer said, wearing a grumpy expression. "Bow wanted to meet up at eight at the campus store to pick up our books before a line forms."

"Oh!" Adora perked up. "I still need to do that, too. Catra and I can join you."

Catra crossed her arms. "Usually you buy your books as soon as you pick your classes. Slacking, huh?"

Reddening a bit, Adora pursed her lips together. "It's been a weird year, okay? And classes still don't start for a week; I have time."

Slinging an arm around Adora's neck, Catra rested her head on Adora's closest shoulder. "Hmm, that's true." She poked Adora's cheek with her nail. "It's fun seeing you so flustered."

"Stop being so mean to Adora," Glimmer said, dropping her bowl in the sink. 

Catra's eyes narrowed. "Have you ever heard of a little thing called teasing?"

"Yeah, and it looks like Adora's not enjoying your teasing, so you should probably stop," Glimmer said.

"It's okay, really," Adora said, raising her hands. Catra's hands seemed to dig into every place they could on Adora. "This is just how we function. I guess you've never really seen me and Catra interact."

"We go _way_ back," Catra said, dropping her weight so it rested on Adora's shoulders.

Letting out another grunt, Adora shoved her aside and started for the bathroom. " _Anyway._ We just need to freshen up and then we'll be good to go."

Catra trailed after her. "Freshen up? Ooh, you've grown so _fancy_ , Adora. Are you hiding little figurine soaps in that bathroom? Decorative hand towels?"

"Like I can afford that kind of thing," Adora said with a snort. She pushed the bathroom door open and shot Catra a look. "You going to follow me in here, too?"

Catra shrugged. "When have we ever had a working definition of personal space?"

Biting her lip, Adora glanced away. it was true; she and Catra had shared everything. But things were different now.

It was the after.

"You can come in, but only while I'm brushing my teeth!" Adora said, shooing away her thoughts. "When I shower, you're out of here."

"Whatever you say, Adora," Catra said, voice a near purr as she pressed her hands to Adora's shoulder blades and pushed her forward. Stumbling into the bathroom, Adora broke into a laughing protest.

 

***

 

"Ugh, it's so hot," Glimmer said as they made their way across the grass. "Who let it be this warm in September?"

"I kinda like it," Adora said, squinting up at the sky. The left side of her face was nearing uncomfortably warm, but there was something soothing about the heat. Catra looked blissed out, her eyes half-lidded. Adora found herself smiling at the scene. Glimmer waved a hand in her face. "Uh, what?"

Glimmer rolled her eyes. "I said I see Bow." She lowered her voice, saying, "You were staring at Catra."

Adora blushed. "The sun got in my eyes."

Glimmer watched her for a moment closely, eyes sparkling with suspicion. Finally, she smiled and shrugged. "I told you the sun sucks."

"That's not what you said," Adora protested, smiling back. When the presence to her right vanished, she turned and yanked Catra's arm back. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"

Blinking, Catra looked to her with a content, lazy expression. "The sun?"

Adora snorted. "Sorry, but it looks like the entrance is in the shade."

"Spoilsport," Catra said, but let Adora lead her toward the store. 

Bow was already waving at them and continued to do so until they were standing right in front of him. "Hey, guys!"

" _How_ are you so energetic in the morning," Glimmer said. "I had to set like, three alarms."

"I was really excited to see you guys!" Bow said. "And to get my books."

Adora glanced to the store and then Bow. "So when does the store open again?"

"Oh, not until ten," Bow said. Glimmer and Adora groaned. "What! It's the price to pay for good education."

"I'm already paying more than enough," Adora said, frowning at the thought of her bank account. 

Catra bent forward, letting her arms dangle and resting her head on Adora's shoulder. "Adora."

From the corner of her eye, Adora looked to her. "Yeah?"

"Come sit in the sun with me," Catra said. Adora bit her lip; she didn't want to ditch her friends to stand around in the shade, but Catra's pout had always been near irresistible. "Just for a few minutes!"

"Ahh, fine," Adora said, offering a sheepish look to Glimmer and Bow, who looked a little disappointed, but also understanding. After all, they knew it had been six years. "We'll be back in five."

Catra dragged Adora into the sun and sat down. Her tail flickered. "Mmm. That's better."

"Hey, Catra?"

Catra opened her eyes. "What?"

"Um, I'm really glad you're here," Adora said, giving a small smile. Nestling the palms of her hands in the grass, Adora leaned forward and hunched in on herself. The heat of the sun was making her palms start to sweat; why was it almost seventy degrees at eight in the morning? "It's been so long. I missed you."

Catra stared at her for a moment, unblinking. Then she groaned and dropped her head to Adora's shoulder, avoiding eye contact. "You big sap. I...missed you, too."

With a smile, Adora closed her eyes and wrapped an arm around Catra, enjoying the heat of the sun.

"Excuse me?"

Adora opened her eyes, turning to where the noise started. "Huh?"

A tall woman stood before them, her short, white hair making a nice contrast to the thick black lipstick she wore. Adora wondered if the stranger would be willing to give makeup tips. "You're Adora?"

"Uh, yeah?" Sure, Adora had already spent a year at Charbrone college, but she didn't know _that_ many people. 

"I'm Scorpia," the woman said and held out a small card. "I think this is your ID?"

"Oh!" Adora leaped to her feet. Catra made an annoyed grunt at the movement. "Oh my gosh, thank you. I didn't realize it was even gone." 

"I didn't mean to interrupt you two," Scorpia said, and sent a smile to Catra, who stared blankly back at her. 

Adora waved her off. "We were just taking a break from standing in line. We should be getting back, anyway."

"It was nice to meet you!" Scorpia said. 

Adora smiled. "You, too. C'mon, Catra." 

"Catra?" Scorpia repeated. "I love that name. And I love your hair!"

"Uh, okay?" Catra said, her eyebrows bunching up. "You want a prize or something?"

"Sure!" Scorpia said. Catra's face went blank as she looked to Adora, who gave an awkward shrug.

"Whatever," Catra said. She leaped to her feet and grabbed Adora's hand. "Let's just get back before Princess starts complaining."

"You don't have to call her that," Adora said with a sigh. 

Catra's lips curled up. "But where's the fun in that?" She glanced behind her for a split second. "Good, that girl isn't following us."

"Scorpia?" Adora asked.

Catra gave a short nod. "Talk about weird."

"I guess," Adora said, frowning. She felt kind of bad talking about people behind their backs. It had always been a favorite of Catra's—though even better to her was talking about people in front of their faces—and for the most part, Adora tolerated it because the people Catra talked about were _mean._ But Scorpia had been nothing but sweet, albeit a little oddly naive for a college student. But then again, Adora had had the same comments said about her, so the leg she was standing on wasn't very stable. "Hey, what classes are you taking again?"

Catra rolled her eyes. "Your memory is worse than ever, I see."

Adora flushed pink. "There's a lot going on! Sorry."

"I'm just teasing you," Catra said. "I didn't actually tell you."

"Oh my God, you're the worst," Adora whined. As they arrived back to the line, she was surprised to see at least two dozen more people behind Glimmer and Bow. "Whoa. Bow wasn't kidding."

"Hey, guys!" Bow called, waving them over. His eyes dropped briefly, widening. 

Swallowing, Adora wriggled her wrist out of Catra's grasp, having a feeling his reaction had something to do with it. Glimmer and Bow themselves were rather touch-oriented, but maybe it was odd seeing Catra so touchy, considering how icy she had been in conversation. "Hey. I'm glad you had the foresight to know it'd be crazy packed."

"He's so organized and put together it makes the rest of us look bad," Glimmer said with a long sigh, but she was smiling. "Did you know he planned out what college he wanted to go to when he was like, twelve?"

"And I made it!" Bow pointed out. 

Adora gave him a warm smile. "You're like, adult enough for all of us. Thank God."

Bow fiddled with his pockets. "Aww, don't put yourselves down like that. Oh! I think I see Mermista!" 

Catra wore a blank look. "Who?"

"She was the RA in the dorm last year," Bow said, trying to wave her over. 

"She was pretty strict, if I remember her," Glimmer said, crossing her arms. 

"That was just to you," Adora teased. "Because she knew you were Angella's daughter."

"Is that supposed to be important?" Catra said.

Glimmer's lips pulled tight. "No."

"Angella is the school's chancellor," Bow explained, resting a hand on Glimmer's shoulder. The pride in his tone was obvious. "So she's pretty well known around here."

"Ahh," Catra said in a sneer. "Good old nepotism." 

Hands bunching into fists, Glimmer yanked her shoulder away from Bow and took a step toward Catra. "Shut up! It's not like that!"

"Sure it isn't," Catra said lightly, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. Adora knew the look all too well, one that said Catra's mind had been made up about Glimmer's past, present, and future, and no arguing was about to change that. 

"Catra, stop," Adora said lowly. Glimmer's mother was a sensitive topic, one that Adora and Bow tended to sidestep when possible, and Adora knew that having Catra of all people bring it up was going to only end in disaster. 

"I'm just saying what everyone else in the school is probably too chicken to say," Catra said. "Bet you didn't even have to put an application in, huh?"

"I worked my butt off!" Glimmer cried out, her eyes narrowing. 

"She _did_ ," Adora said, putting her hands on Catra's shoulders and pushing her backward. "She put her dad's last name on her application, anyway."

"I'm sure that's what she said," Catra said.

"Catra, _stop_ ," Adora hissed, leaning in closer. "Seriously, you're crossing a line here. You hardly know her. Stop making assumptions."

"Are they really assumptions if they're true?" Catra said.

Taking a deep breath, Adora closed her eyes for a second. Once she opened them, she saw Catra staring back at her, eyes dull and unforgiving. Adora scrunched up her nose, trying to decipher Catra's expression. 

"Catra, seriously," Adora said, her voice so low she herself could barely hear. "Don't do this. She's my friend. You're hurting her."

"I thought I was your friend," Catra whispered back.

"You _are_ ," Adora said. "You both are. There's not some sort of quantity of friendship that's going to run out."

"Is that so," Catra said.

Adora sighed. "You know that's so. Just give them a chance. They're trying to include you."

Catra stared at her for a minute, wordless. Adora felt her neck start to sweat; she wasn't sure what to do if Catra refused. Of course Catra being her oldest friend meant something—it meant _a lot_ , but not so much that she was willing to drop her other friends. Glimmer and Bow had been pillars of stability in the whirlwind of Adora's ever-changing environment. So had Catra, but online support and in-person support were two wildly different experiences. And having Catra here, in person now, left Adora with a warm feeling in the knowledge that she could be that in-person support for Catra now, something which had been previously inaccessible for so long. 

"Whatever," Catra said, dropping her gaze.

Adora brought her into a hug, knowing that was as close of an answer to a 'yes' she was going to get. Brushing Catra's hair over her shoulder, Adora said, "Thank you, Catra."

"Yeah, yeah," Catra said. She inhaled sharply before pushing Adora back. "Hey, does Mermista have blue hair?"

Bow lit up. "She's coming over!"

Mermista came to a stop next to the group. "Hello, Bow. Getting your school supplies?"

"Yup!" Bow said. "Oh, this is Adora's friend, Catra. She's new here."

Catra gave a lazy wave. 

"Nice to meet you, Catra," Mermista said. "Are you staying in the dorms?"

Adora flinched, wishing Mermista had picked a less volatile topic to discuss—not that she knew, of course. 

Catra wrapped an arm around Adora's shoulder and squeezed her a little too tightly. "No, never set that up."

Mermista raised an eyebrow. "So you're staying with Adora and Glimmer?"

"Err, no," Adora said with an awkward laugh. "We're still figuring out her housing, actually."

"This late in the game?" Mermista let out a sigh. "You're cutting it pretty close, girls. I can see if there's a space in the dorms, but I can't promise anything."

"Oh, would you really?" Adora let out a relieved breath. "Thank you so much, Mermista. That would be wonderful."

"Don't mention it," Mermista said. "But just to be safe, you might consider checking the Charbrone housing forum. Sometimes there are openings for roommates."

"We'll do that," Adora said. "Thank you."

"Mermista!"

Face going blank, Mermista looked to the side. "Great."

"Seahawk!" Bow cried, wearing a wide grin.

"And that's my cue to leave," Mermista said. "Good luck, Catra."

"Yeah," Catra said, looking wholly uninterested. Adora pinched her side as Mermista dashed off. "Hey!"

"She was doing you a favor," Adora stressed. "The least you could do is act grateful."

Seahawk skid to a stop and frowned, glancing around. "Where'd Mermista go?"

"She had important business to attend to," Glimmer said. "Extremely important. Alone."

Seahawk's expression toughened. "Ahh. Of course. I'm sure she wouldn't mind a visit, of course."

He was off before Glimmer could say anything else.

Glimmer sighed. "I tried. Poor Mermista."

"What are you talking about!" Bow said. "Seahawk is the best!"

"You think _everyone_  is the best," Glimmer pointed out. Bow gave a sheepish shrug.

"He has good taste," Adora said in a giggle. "C'mon Catra, let's look up the housing forum. You might be able to find something pretty cheap. Usually by this point in the year, people are desperate."

Catra snorted. "Okay, Adora."

The unspoken trust in her words drew a smile out of Adora. She pulled out her phone and navigated to the website, scrolling through the posts. One in particular caught her eye.

"Here!" Adora said, jabbing a finger on her phone. "This one!"

Catra peered over her shoulder. "Oh, no. You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"It's perfect!" Adora argued. "You already met her!"

"I hate you," Catra said. "I hate you so much."

"I'm responding," Adora said, grinning. 

"Adora!"

"Nope, you lost the chance to object when you allowed me to check," Adora said. She finished typing and sent the response. "There. You are now the newest prospect for Scorpia's roommate. Oh, and Entrapa. I didn't know they knew each other."

Glimmer perked up. "Entrapa? Bow, don't you know her?"

Bow nodded. "Yeah! She was in my intro to programming class last semester. She's really nice."

"There you go," Adora said, proud. "You're welcome."

Catra stuck her tongue out. Adora poked it and Catra choked on a breath. "Adora!"

Adora cackled. "You know I'm always waiting for the chance to do that!"

Catra shoved her harshly, and she stumbled, still laughing. Glimmer caught her arm, and Adora managed a thanks. When she caught Glimmer's expression, though, it was full of confusion and hesitation. Biting her lip, Adora calmed herself down. 

"So," Adora said after clearing her throat. "How long until the store opens?"

Bow checked his watch and offered a smile. "An hour and twenty minutes."

The three girls groaned. 


End file.
